# Sign Regulations in Clarksville, Tennessee

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Clarksville, Tennessee, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Clarksville, Tennessee (TN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/tennessee/clarksville
- **Data last verified:** 2026-04-27
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.cmcrpc.com/wp2025/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/City-Zoning-Ordinance-Updated-Through-January-8-2026.pdf#page=220)

## At a glance

Clarksville, Tennessee regulates 72 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Sidewalk Sign (Sandwich Board) - CBDs in the CBD Central Business District (CBD) zoning district are capped at ≤3 ft (36 in) tall, Each display face ≤6 sq ft, and ≤2 ft (24 in) wide, with a Must maintain 5 ft clear sidewalk; may not block driveways or required exits/entrances. setback (Sec. §8.9.1–9). Most commercial signs in Clarksville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | No sign shall exceed the height limitation of the district in which it is located; business or advertising signs shall not exceed 50 feet in length | 700 sq ft per sign face plus up to 30% additional area for embellishments, but total sign face area may not exceed 700 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones - Exempt Signs | 7 | — | — | — |
| Residential Districts | 7 | — | 150 sq ft | — |
| OP Office/Professional District (OP), O-1 Office District (O-1), IC Institutional/Civic District (IC) | 3 | Signs not attached to building: ≤15 ft; low profile signs: ≤3.5 ft; building-attached signs may not extend above roof line | Parcel-based cap: 1 sq ft per linear ft of lot frontage (public street, permanent easement, or travel easement) | — |
| Commercial and Shopping Center Districts (AGC, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5) | 5 | 100 ft (from ground elevation on which placed), only when located at rear of property and within 2,500 ft of center point of Interstate and adjoining roadway intersection | 40 sq ft | — |
| H-1 Historical District (H-1) | 3 | — | 9 sq ft per sign | — |
| Industrial Districts (M-1, M-2) | 1 | — | — | — |
| CBD Central Business District (CBD) | 21 | ≤20 ft above average parcel grade | 72 sq in (0.5 sq ft) | — |
| MLUD Mixed Land Use District (MLUD), PUD Planned Unit Development Residential District (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Clarksville Design Overlay Districts (Madison Street and Connector Corridor Urban Design Overlay District; Fort Campbell Boulevard Design Overlay District; Tiny Town Road Design Overlay District); Madison Street and Connector Subdistricts; Fort Campbell Boulevard Subdistricts; Tiny Town Road Subdistricts | 10 | Flagpole: ≤40 ft adjacent to single-family residential zoning; ≤60 ft adjacent to other commercial/industrial zoning | ≤100 sq ft; for buildings with 4+ tenants, City staff and Design Review Board may allow up to 100 sq ft (text repeats same cap) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs - General Standards | No sign shall exceed the height limitation of the district in which it is located; business or advertising signs shall not exceed 50 feet in length | — | — | Outdoor advertising structures must meet side and rear yard requirements of the district and be set back from street right-of-way so as not to block the view of adjacent buildings to motorized traffic. | — | All zoning districts | — | §8.2.1–2, 4, 8–13, 22–23; §25 (Lighting on Properties) |
| Temporary Sign - Civic/Philanthropic/Educational/Religious Events | — | 32 sq ft | — | Prohibited within street right-of-way and in sight triangles that obstruct vision at intersections. | — | All areas (not within street right-of-way) | — | §8.2.7.A, 8.2.7.C |
| Temporary Sign - Commercial Message (On-Premise) | — | 24 sq ft | — | Prohibited in right-of-way and in locations that obstruct intersection vision. | — | Private property in all zoning districts (not within right-of-way) | — | §8.2.7.B–C |
| Off-Premise Advertising Structure (Existing Legal, Interstate/Controlled Access Highways) | Sign face height max 30 ft; overall structure height max 50 ft above roadway grade | 700 sq ft per sign face plus up to 30% additional area for embellishments, but total sign face area may not exceed 700 sq ft | Sign face length max 60 ft | — | — | On interstate and controlled access highways within city limits (existing legally permitted off-premise structures only) | — | §8.2.15.A.I, III–VI; §8.2.15.B |
| Off-Premise Advertising Structure (Existing Legal, Other Streets) | Sign face height max 30 ft; overall structure height max 50 ft above roadway grade | 400 sq ft per sign face plus up to 30% additional for embellishments (total may not exceed 400 sq ft) | Sign face length max 60 ft | — | — | All other streets in city (existing legally permitted off-premise structures only) | — | §8.2.15.A.I, III–VI; §8.2.15.B |
| Common Freestanding Sign for Parcels Sharing Travel Easement | May not exceed height limitations specified elsewhere in Chapter 8; maximum length 20 ft | — | 20 ft maximum length | Must comply with district setback requirements via site plan/sign easement location | 1 common freestanding sign per public right-of-way frontage (shared); 1 nameplate per parcel per side on sign | On sign easement shown on final recorded travel easement plat and approved site plan; per public right-of-way frontage for parcels sharing recorded travel easement | — | §8.2.23 |
| Development Directory Sign (General Regulations) | May not exceed height limitations specified elsewhere in Chapter 8; maximum length 20 ft | — | 20 ft max length | Located within platted sign easement abutting right-of-way/easement | 1 per parcel | All zoning districts except Residential Districts; in a platted private sign easement abutting nearest public right-of-way or permanent dedicated easement | — | §8.2.24; §8.2.25.C |
| Electronic Message Center (EMC) - General Standards | Minimum EMC display height 2 ft; overall sign height governed by host sign type and district limits | Portion of pylon sign: ≤75% of total sign area; portion of Development Directory Sign: ≤25% of total sign area; per design overlay free-standing sign: ≤50% of total sign area; per monument sign: ≤60% or 18 sq ft, whichever is less | — | Distance from single-family residences: 100 ft (25 ft if oriented away). | 1 freestanding EMC per road frontage | New EMCs permitted in all commercial districts and for educational and institutional uses (Charts 3.4.6 & 3.4.8), except in C-1 and CBD; additional permissions/limitations in design overlay districts and for directory/monument signs per overlay standards. | — | §8.2.25 (Electronic Message Center requirements) |

### CBD Central Business District (CBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall/Awning Sign - CBD (Attached Signs) | — | Parcel/structure-based: as per formula; no additional absolute cap given | — | Projection limits: awnings max 6 ft over sidewalk, none over street. | — | On building facades, awnings, canopies in CBD; applies to primary entrance frontage and, for corner lots, also secondary frontage. | — | §8.8.1–7, 31, 33 |
| Projecting Sign - CBD (7–10 ft above sidewalk) | — | ≤6 sq ft per sign face | — | Projection ≤4 ft over sidewalk; none over public street; minimum 7 ft clearance over sidewalk. | 1 per eligible structure (when no freestanding sign) | Attached to structures that abut sidewalk or property line in CBD | — | §8.8.8–11 |
| Freestanding Sign - CBD (Pole-Mounted/Pylon) | ≤20 ft above average parcel grade | ≤32 sq ft per sign face | — | May not encroach into public right-of-way; clear zone requirements near driveways/streets. | 1 per parcel (2 for corner lots) | On private property in CBD | — | §8.8.14–17 |
| Freestanding Sign - CBD (Ground-Mounted/Monument) | Within 15 ft of driveway/street, ≤3.5 ft high; beyond 15 ft, ≤5 ft high (excluding foundation) | ≤32 sq ft per sign face (same as other freestanding signs) | — | Height tied to distance from driveway/street; no right-of-way encroachment. | Included in freestanding sign count | On private property in CBD | — | §8.8.15–17 |
| Drive-Through Restaurant Menu Board - CBD (Drive-Through Bay) | ≤6 ft | ≤30 sq ft per bay | — | — | Per drive-through bay | At drive-through bays of restaurants in CBD | — | §8.8.28 |
| Drive-Through Restaurant Menu Board - CBD (Curb Service Bay) | ≤6 ft | ≤6 sq ft per bay | — | — | Per curb service bay | At curb service bays of restaurants in CBD | — | §8.8.28 |
| Flag - CBD (Constitutional Flags) | — | ≤15 sq ft per flag | — | 7 ft vertical clearance above sidewalk | Max 2 per principal structure | On or at principal structures in CBD | — | §8.8.29 |
| Sidewalk Sign (Sandwich Board) - CBD | ≤3 ft (36 in) | Each display face ≤6 sq ft | ≤2 ft (24 in) | Must maintain 5 ft clear sidewalk; may not block driveways or required exits/entrances. | 1 per business (multi-tenant: 1 per tenant) | On sidewalks in CBD, potentially within public right-of-way, outside required ADA paths, exits/entrances, and driveways | — | §8.9.1–9 |

### Clarksville Design Overlay Districts (Madison Street and Connector Corridor Urban Design Overlay District; Fort Campbell Boulevard Design Overlay District; Tiny Town Road Design Overlay District); Madison Street and Connector Subdistricts; Fort Campbell Boulevard Subdistricts; Tiny Town Road Subdistricts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning/Canopy Sign - Design Overlay Districts | — | If no valance: copy ≤30% of awning area | — | — | — | On awnings/canopies in all design overlay Subdistricts | — | §C 1.6; §E 1.5.1–1.5.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - Madison Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway/Connector Corridor (Overlay) | ≤20 ft above average parcel grade | ≤50 sq ft; for buildings with 4+ tenants, up to 100 sq ft may be allowed by City staff and Design Review Board | — | — | 1 per parcel (2 on corner lots) | Within Madison Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway/Connector Corridor Overlay areas | — | §E 1.6.1–1.6.10 |
| Freestanding Sign - Fort Campbell Boulevard and Tiny Town Road Overlay Districts | ≤30 ft above average parcel grade | ≤100 sq ft; for buildings with 4+ tenants, City staff and Design Review Board may allow up to 100 sq ft (text repeats same cap) | — | — | 1 per parcel (2 on corner lots) | Fort Campbell Boulevard and Tiny Town Road Design Overlay Districts | — | §E 1.7.1–1.7.10 |
| Monument Sign - Design Overlay Districts | ≤3.5 ft high within 15 ft of driveway or street; ≤5 ft high otherwise | ≤30 sq ft (excluding support structure); EMC portion if used ≤60% of area or 18 sq ft, whichever less | — | Height tied to distance from driveway/street; likely must be outside right-of-way. | 1 monument sign with EMC portion per property | Design overlay districts where monument signs are permitted | — | §E 1.8.1–1.8.2 |
| Wall Sign - Design Overlay Districts (Non-CBD Setbacks) | — | Generally must conform to CBD wall sign standards (§8.8), except properties with building front setbacks ≥100 ft: wall sign size ≤80% of width of front façade and letter height ≤36 in | — | — | — | All design overlay districts, for signage affixed to buildings | — | §E 1.9.1–1.9.2 |
| Window Sign - Design Overlay Districts | Letter height ≤10 in | ≤15% of window area | — | — | — | Within design overlay districts | — | §E 1.10.1 |
| Flag and Flagpole - Design Overlay Districts | Flagpole: ≤40 ft adjacent to single-family residential zoning; ≤60 ft adjacent to other commercial/industrial zoning | Flag face size tied to pole height per Table 9.4: 20–30 ft pole: 4x6 ft flag; 30–40 ft pole: 5x8 ft flag; 40–60 ft pole: 6x10 ft flag | — | — | Max 3 flagpoles per parcel | Within design overlay parcels | — | §E 1.11; Table 9.4 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign - Design Overlay Districts | — | ≤32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel | Parcels in design overlay districts actively marketed for sale or lease | — | §E 1.12.1 |

## Prohibited signs in Clarksville

- No sign shall be erected or maintained where, by reason of its position, wording, illumination, size, shape, or color, it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal, or device.
- No sign shall contain or make use of any word, phrase, symbol, shape, form, or character in such manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
- No illuminated sign shall be permitted within twenty‑five (25) feet of property in any residential district unless designed so that light does not shine or reflect onto the residential property.
- No business or advertising sign shall be erected to exceed fifty (50) feet in length.
- No sign shall be erected to exceed the height limitation of the zoning district in which it is located.
- All outdoor advertising structures must conform to side and rear yard requirements and be set back from the street right‑of‑way so as not to block the view of an adjacent building to motorized traffic.
- No off‑premise advertising sign shall be located in any area designated by the City, County or Regional Planning Commission as one of scenic beauty and/or scenic route.
- Beginning November 15, 1993, temporary signs are prohibited in all areas except as expressly allowed in the ordinance.
- Temporary signs shall not be erected or fixed to any pole, tree, stone, fence, building, structure, or any object within the right‑of‑way of any street.
- No temporary sign shall be erected at a street intersection in such a manner as to obstruct vision or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device.
- At any location deemed a safety hazard, signs must maintain a clear zone of vision between three and one‑half (3½) feet and ten (10) feet above grade.
- No rotating sign shall exceed eight (8) revolutions per minute; no direct beam of light shall revolve.
- All abandoned signs or signs relating to an abandoned use must be removed within thirty (30) days after abandonment.
- The City may order the removal of any sign which becomes a public hazard due to lack of maintenance or repair.
- Illumination that causes glare, impairs the vision of drivers, or otherwise interferes with a driver’s operation of a motor vehicle is prohibited.
- No sign is allowed if the changeable copy area exceeds eighty (80) percent of the total sign area.
- Except as provided, no new off‑premise advertising structures may be erected within the city limits; existing ones are nonconforming and subject to size, spacing, and height limits.
- Outdoor advertising structures shall not exceed fifty (50) feet in height above roadway grade level.
- Beginning November 15, 1993, banners are allowed only when attached at all corners to the principal structure (including attached enclosed sales areas).
- Pennants/streamers must maintain a minimum ten (10) foot clearance from the ground.
- Strings of lights must have permits, testing‑laboratory approval, and a minimum ten (10) foot clearance; noncompliant lighting is prohibited.
- No private signs are allowed in the public right‑of‑way except as specifically listed as public signs; any other sign in the right‑of‑way is subject to immediate confiscation and cost recovery.
- Advertising signs are allowed within athletic facilities, civic halls, or parks only at the discretion of the Building and Codes Department.
- Address signs are required and limited to 72 square inches and may show only numerical address designations.
- If an owner fails to remove signs in violation after notice, the City will remove them and assess all costs and an administrative fee.
- Parcels sharing a recorded travel easement must share one common freestanding sign per public frontage and may not exceed 20 feet in length.
- Development Directory Signs are not allowed in residential districts.
- In multiple‑tenant buildings that must use a Development Directory Sign, no additional on‑site signage is permitted for tenants within that building.
- Electronic Message Centers may not be used in place of wall signs and may not comprise 100% of any sign area.
- Only one Electronic Message Center (EMC) display area is permitted per sign face.
- New EMCs are prohibited in C‑1 and CBD districts, and some overlay districts may impose additional restrictions.
- No new EMC may be installed within 100 feet of a single‑family residence unless the face is oriented away and at least 25 feet away.
- When off or malfunctioning, EMCs must display a solid black background.
- From April 1, 2026, EMC transitions are limited to 5 seconds; content must remain static at least 5 seconds between transitions.
- Movies, GIFs, flashing or moving images on EMCs (beyond the brief transition) are prohibited.
- No audio is permitted with signage.
- No chasing, sequential, or running messages are allowed on EMCs except a limited grandfathered category specified by the ordinance.
- Lighting on properties shall be directed downward, shall not cast light pollution on adjacent properties, and shall not be projected directly into the public right‑of‑way.
- Lighting on properties shall not strobe, chase, or flash.
- In residential districts, flashing or intermittent illumination is prohibited.
- In OP, O‑1, and IC districts, flashing, rotating, or intermittent illumination signs are prohibited.
- In H‑1 Historical District, flashing, rotating, or intermittent illumination is prohibited, and electronic message centers are prohibited.
- In Industrial districts, flashing, rotating, or intermittent illumination is prohibited.
- In the CBD district, off‑premises signs (billboards/outdoor advertising) are prohibited.
- In the CBD district, exposed bulb signs are prohibited; no flashing, chasing, running or sequential lighting is permitted except for time, temperature, and fuel price signs; LED/digital message boards are prohibited except for time, temperature, and fuel price.
- Except as provided for sidewalk signs, all portable signs in the CBD are prohibited.
- Except for projecting signs and awnings as described and sidewalk signs as provided, no private advertising signs may be placed on or overhang the public right‑of‑way in the CBD.
- No private sign shall be attached to a utility pole.
- All pennants/streamers in the CBD are prohibited except for a specified grandfathered continuous use.
- In the CBD, signs identifying or advertising relocated, permanently closed, or non‑existent businesses are not permitted; obsolete copy must be removed or painted out within 30 days.
- Signs that are not properly maintained, deteriorated, or abandoned must be removed in their entirety.
- In CBD, constitutional flags are limited in area (15 sq ft each), clearance, and number (no more than two per principal structure); larger or additional flags are prohibited.
- Design Overlay Districts: Signs may not be erected or altered without a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Design Review Board.
- Design Overlay Districts: animated, flashing, chasing, running, or sequential signs are not permitted.
- Design Overlay Districts: all portable signs, including parked vehicles with signs expressly for advertising, are not permitted.
- Design Overlay Districts: pole banners and streamers are not permitted.
- Design Overlay Districts: projected signs from a light source are not permitted.
- Design Overlay Districts: Electronic Message Centers are not permitted where expressly listed as prohibited in overlay standards.
- Design Overlay Districts: inflatable or semi‑inflatable advertising devices are not permitted.
- Design Overlay Districts: marquee‑type signs for announcements are prohibited except for churches, schools, and institutional uses.
- Design Overlay Districts: open‑face LED/exposed bulb signs, illuminated plastic box signs, and pulsating, flashing, running, or rotating lights (other than time, temperature, gasoline price) are prohibited.
- Design Overlay Districts: lighting shall not cast light pollution on adjacent properties nor be projected directly into the public right‑of‑way.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clarksville

- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance is exempt from regulation under Chapter 8.
- Any sign inside a building, not attached to a window or door, that is not legible from more than three (3) feet beyond the lot line of the parcel is exempt.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message are exempt.
- Holiday signs and decorations, and signs with no commercial message, are exempt.
- Traffic control signs on private property (e.g., Stop, Yield) that meet department of transportation face standards and contain no commercial message are exempt.
- Signs placed upon buses or any structures utilized in conjunction with, and authorized by, the Clarksville Transit System are exempt.
- Signs of any kind displayed within the geographic boundaries of, and in conjunction with, public functions, festivals, street fairs, or similar celebrations conducted pursuant to Title 5, Chapter 10 of the City Code are exempt.
- Nothing in the ordinance prohibits the use of advertising signs within the confines of athletic facilities, civic halls, or within parks in conjunction with sporting events, at the discretion of the Building and Codes Department.
- In the CBD, historic signs that are part of the original construction of any building constructed before 1970 are exempt from the CBD sign regulations.
- In the CBD, signs that have been displayed continuously before 1970 at a location within the Central Business District are exempt from the CBD sign regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In MLUD Mixed Land Use District and PUD Planned Unit Development Districts, all on‑premises ground and building signs must be approved as part of an overall signage plan.
- The MLUD/PUD overall signage plan shall be reviewed by the Regional Planning Commission and may be included as part of the required site plan (Chapter 5.10) or submitted subsequent to the site plan.
- The MLUD/PUD signage plan must be approved before issuance of any sign permit for any portion of the proposed development.
- For off‑premise advertising structure relocation (Section 8.2.15.B), relocation may only occur after a site plan application has been submitted by the permit holder, approved by the Regional Planning Commission, and the Department of Building and Codes has recommended approval of a building permit; relocation further requires City Council approval by resolution.
- In Design Overlay Districts, any sign (or awning) requires review and issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness by the Design Review Board before erection or alteration.
- In Design Overlay Districts, all signage applicants must develop and submit an overall signage program that exhibits a coordinated, uniform theme of design elements for review.
- Within the Clarksville Design Overlay Districts, signage and awnings are subject to design review; applications that do not clearly meet objective standards or that request variances must be forwarded from staff to the full Design Review Board for action.
- Development Directory Signs must be located in a platted private sign easement shown on the final recorded plat and approved site plan; the sign easement must be recorded and referenced on the final plat, and the sign must be maintained by an owners’ association or similar recorded agreement.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 10 zoning districts in Clarksville — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Clarksville+TN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-clarksville

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